Lloyd McClendon wins his 400th career game as Mariners beat Blue Jays 6-3

Seattle Times | Aug 13

Robinson Cano held up his hand to stop a pack of reporters from entering the clubhouse after the game.

“Just a minute,” Cano said, smiling.

Cano and his teammates had a brief order of business to attend to first. Manager Lloyd McClendon won his 400th career game Tuesday when the Mariners beat Toronto 6-3 and tied the Detroit Tigers for the American League’s final wild-card spot.

McClendon walked into the middle of the clubhouse after the victory and was immediately drenched by a beer shower. As McClendon turned to head back to his office, Felix Hernandez delivered the celebration’s kicker: He poured a bucket of water on Seattle’s first-year manager.

“My guys have been outstanding,” McClendon said. “It’s been a hell of a ride to this point. They’re playing with a lot of confidence.”

The Mariners have won seven of their past eight games. They extended their club record of 11 consecutive games of allowing three runs or less. And their offense provided a jolt for the second consecutive night.

“We’re better than we were three weeks ago,” McClendon said. “I keep harping on that, but we are. We’re a better club.”

The night began with the now-expected consistency of starting pitcher Chris Young. He pitched six innings and gave up just two hits.

Young showed up to spring training as a 6-foot-10 mystery. His track record showed two different pasts. On the one hand, he was once an all-star. On the other, he hadn’t pitched more than 115 innings in a season in seven years and missed all of the 2013 because of injuries.

But Young has been one of baseball’s biggest surprises this season. He lowered his ERA to 3.20 after giving up just one run on two hits against the Blue Jays, and he picked up his 11th victory of the season.